Stage 6 - January 20: Adelaide City Council circuit, 90km

Rogers takes yellow in fast finale

McEwen caps off a great week

Australian rider Michael Rogers has taken out the final general classification
in the 2002 Jacob's Creek Down Under, as the six day event finished in
Adelaide with a 90 kilometre circuit race. Rogers rode a safe race today,
allowing his Australian Institute of Sport teammates to cover all the
breaks while he kept himself out of trouble. The stage finished in a bunch
sprint and he crossed in 22nd place, raising his arm in triumph across
the line.

"I always knew I was in with a chance," Rogers told Cyclingnews afterwards.
"It has been my week. I was a bit nervous last night. I couldn't sleep,
tossing and turning, but I was quietly confident. On days like this you
never know what will happen. Thanks to the boys from the AIS. I couldn't
have done it without them; and the staff of the ACF."

It was no surprise that the in-form sprinter in this race, Robbie McEwen
(Lotto-Adecco), took out the stage, despite a strong showing by the rest
of the sprinters in the race. For McEwen it was his fourth stage out of
a maximum of six, and he also won the best sprinter's jersey.

"I have been trying to win every day except for yesterday. But I never
expected to come here and win four stages," he said. "People
were coming up to me and asking if I was going to win again today, and
four out of six ain't bad. I was feeling confident going into it and I
felt sure my team would be there."

It was never certain that the stage would come down to a bunch sprint,
as the riders had to do 20 climbs of Montefiore Hill. This, combined with
the fact that a lot of teams were looking for a stage win, meant that
there were constant attacks. Particularly aggressive were the teams of
Domo-Farm Frites and Saeco-Longoni Sport, who always had a couple of riders
in the breaks.

Thus the large crowd (estimated at 80,000) which had gathered to watch
the final stage, was treated to an exciting finale raced around the most
picturesque circuit that Adelaide had to offer.

Local hero Stuart O'Grady couldn't repeat his effort from last year,
when he took the yellow jersey via a time bonus sprint in the final stage.
However, the freckle-faced Credit Agricole rider still wowed the crowd
with his constant attacking in an attempt to win the stage. He earned
an intermediate sprint for his troubles and the Most Aggressive rider
award for the stage, but couldn't place higher than 7th in the final sprint.

With four laps to go, the race was pretty well back together and it
looked likely to end in a bunch sprint. Andrea Tafi (Mapei) tried a couple
of late attacks but the speed was simply too high to stay away. McEwen
kept his position near the front, while the Domo and Francaise des Jeux
teams set things up for the sprint, which was slightly uphill along King
William Drive.

FDJ's Brad McGee provided the final leadout for Baden Cooke, who described
it afterwards. "On the last lap Fred [Guesdon] kept the attacks at bay
and Brad hit out from before the corner and led me up the straight. If
I could have won it that was the only way. I jumped first from the bottom
of the hill. I got a gap and I had a bit of power but didn't have the
range...Another month I might have 5 seconds more in my sprint."

"And I might have another 100 metres in my leadout," quipped his teammate
Brad McGee nearby.

So it was left to Robbie McEwen to launch himself up the outside with
100 metres to go to take the stage clearly ahead of Julian Dean (CSC)
who was glued to his wheel, with Cooke taking third.

Dean told Cyclingnews afterwards that "I actually ended up on Robbie's
wheel so I was just protecting that as best I could for the final kilometre.
If anything I didn't open up really. Robbie is the in-form rider now and
that's pretty good for me as I'm definitely not feeling 100 percent."

Robbie is indeed the in-form rider, and he hopes to keep that when the
European season starts including Paris-Nice (which will probably go ahead
despite financial difficulties).

But the overall honours belonged to 22 year old Michael Rogers, who
won stage 2 and overcame a little misfortune yesterday to ride into the
yellow jersey position. "Yesterday when I did the bike in I thought that
was it. Sometimes in cycling good things happen, sometimes not so good
things happen."

Mick was riding his own bike today but he had his "spare bike" on a
car roof somewhere for luck.

"The difference between now and two years ago when I won a stage is that
this time I could retain the jersey. In 2000 I kept it for a few days
but I couldn't get over the big hills. But this year I could."

This year's tour showed the strength of the Australian riders at the
height of their season, as all of the classifications went to Australians:
Rogers (GC), McEwen (Sprints), Cadel Evans (Mountains) and David McPartland
(U23). However, many of the Europeans were certainly here to race, and
this showed throughout the tour. There were very few riders out here on
"holiday".

They were perhaps surprised at the speed and intensity, but will certainly
be back next year with more kilometres in their legs, and a desire to
take home a few bouquets from the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under.